“Some people try to find things in this game that don’t exist but football is only two things – blocking and tackling” This Vince Lombardi quote dates back to the earliest days of the game, but it isn’t any less true today. Even in the modern game where dangerous aerial attacks like the air raid…

Each year during the NFL Draft, the league opens its doors to hundreds of young, aspiring athletes looking to continue their dream and make a name for themselves at the highest level of competition. What happens after the draft, however, is ultimately more important. Unfortunately for these players, their ability to actually bring those dreams…

The Philadelphia Eagles did a good job in the 2017 NFL Draft of balancing their selections between taking the best player available and addressing immediate needs. Luckily for them, their needs aligned well with the positions of strength throughout the draft. They were able to add talent at edge rusher, cornerback, wide receiver, running back…

Each spring, as the sun peeks out and the remainder of the heaping piles of plowed snow slowly melt away in the corner of the food store parking lot, the feeling of new life slowly disseminates through the air. Perennial flowers are taking shape in the garden and the sight of green leaves overwhelm the…

Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…

Over the last 10-12 years, the value and role of the running back position has changed drastically at all levels of football, but particularly in the NFL. With the increased focus on the passing game coupled with the durability issues at the position, offenses have become less reliant on running backs as a whole. Teams…

Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…

Throughout the draft process, offensive skill position players are all, to some degree, evaluated on their blocking ability. For these players, blocking is often considered a secondary trait, one that’s often underdeveloped when they enter the NFL, especially with more spread-based college offenses in today’s game. Even in the evaluation of tight ends, who have…

Coming into his week in Mobile, Temple University’s Haason Reddick had much to prove. Reddick lined up as a defensive end at Temple but at 6’1”, 237 pounds, he is widely considered to be undersized for the position in the NFL. The athletic intrigue was always there but evaluators had several questions about his ability…

On January 24, hoards of NFL decision makers, scouts, and media will flock to Ladd-Peebles stadium to get a close-up look at the next crop of NFL talent. For the linebacker position in particular, what the group lacks in star power, it makes up for in intrigue. From a national champion to Division II hopefuls,…

When Brigham Young University (BYU) running back Jamaal Williams returned for his senior season, after a year away from the team for an undisclosed school violation, his teammates named him a team captain for the 2016 campaign. The decision to name Williams captain sent a message loud and clear about what type of leader he…

In Matt Rhule’s introductory press conference as the head coach of the Temple University Owls football team, he mentioned his team will throw the ball until they were good at it. After years as an assistant coach in college football and the NFL, Rhule thought his best chance at success would be to spread defenses…

When the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the red hot Atlanta Falcons in Week 10, many of the storylines focused on the job Philadelphia’s defense did in shutting down the highest scoring offense in the league. Limiting the top offense to just over 300 total yards and 15 points is no small feat, but just as much…

When any sports fan hears of a Duke–North Carolina matchup, the two rival’s annual clash on the gridiron is not the first thing that comes to mind. The matchup has certainly gotten much more enticing as the Duke football program has reemerged as a contender in the ACC in recent years but it has a…

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson has come under a lot of fire in recent days after two straight losses to division rivals. The team’s Week 9 loss to the New York Giants was tough for the fans to take. After allowing a quick 14 points early in the first quarter on two interceptions by…

One way Justin Fuente has kept Virginia Tech in the race for the ACC Coastal division title is to rely on one of his staples: Utilizing motion in his offenses to disguise concepts. Sean Cottrell shows how that was no different in a crucial game against Miami by breaking down the Virginia Tech orbit motion…